Adjustable lacer.



WITNESSES:

PATENTED 001- i5, 190?;- n. -A. RYAN & 11.1. WERTZ.

ADJUSTABLE LAGER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB-18, 1907.

A TTORNE Y5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- DAVID A. RYAN AND HENRY J. WERTZ, OF IIARRISBU-tG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADJUSTABLE LASER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct 15, 1907.

Application filed March 18, 1907. Serial No. 363,098-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID A. RYAN and HENRY J. \Vna'rz, citizens of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Lacer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoe lacing devices and has for its object to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character especially designed for use in shoe factories, repair shops and similar places for closing the fly of a lace shoe when the latter is being rc-lasted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lacing device including pivot-ally united members having means for engagement with the adjacent eye-lets of a shoe and provided with a laterally movable locking bar by means of which the pivoted locking members may be drawn together so as to cause the upper to be held in engagement with the form or last without the employment of the usual lacing strings.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. I I

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lacing device constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the same in position on a lace shoe of the ordinary construction. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lacing device detached. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved device forming the subject matter of the present invention is principally designed for use in shoe factories, repair shops and similar places for holding the upper of the shoe in engagement with the last or form while re-lasting the shoe, and by way of illustration is shown in position on a lace shoe of the ordinary construction in which 5 designates the form or last, and 6 the shoe proiided with the usual eye-lets 7 The device consists of a pair of clamping members or bars 8 and 9 having their lower ends pivotally united at 10 and their upper ends deflected laterally at 11 to form terminal finger pieces.

The pivoted ends of the clamping members or bars are deflected laterally to conform to the instep of the shoe while the longitudinal edges thereof are inclined in opposite directions to conform to the inclination of the upper of the shoe whereby when the device is positioned on the shoe the clamping members will lay flat against the same.

Extending inwardly from the inner longitudinal edge of each clamping member or bar are a plurality of spurs or lugs 11 having their free ends disposed at an angle to the longitudinal plane of the clamping bars and adapted to engage the adjacent eye-lets 7 of the shoe upper.

The outer longitudinal edge of the clamping member or bar 9 is formed with a plurality of locking recesses or notches 12 adapted to receive the hooked end 13 of a locking bar or member 14, the latter being pivotally mounted at 15 on the bar 8 and having its free end provided with a rearwardly extending hook 16 which bears against the adjacent face of the member 9 and serves to prevent accidental displacement of the locking bar.

In using the device the clamping members are positioned on the upper of the shoe with one bar disposed on each side of the fly 17 and with the lugs or spurs 11 engaging the adjacent eye-lets 7, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The locking bar 14 is then moved upwardly towards the finger pieces 11 which draws the pivoted members together and consequently causes the upper to snugly engage the walls of the form or last 5 without the employment of the usual lacing strings.

In order to release the device so as to permit the removal of the shoe from the last it is merely necessary to exert an inward pressure on the finger pieces 11 and then move the locking bar 14 downwardly when the Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A lacing device for shoes including pivotally united members adapted to bear against the upper of the shoe on each side of the fly thereof, means extending laterally from the inner longitudinal edges of the members for engagement with the eyelets of the shoe, and means mounted on one of the members and adapted to engage the opposite member for exerting an inward pressure on the free ends of the members thereby to draw the eye-lets together.

2. A lacing device for shoes including pivotally united members adapted to bear against the shoe upper one on each side of the fly thereof, lugs extending inwardly from the inner longitudinal edges of the members and having their free ends deflected laterally for engagement with the adjacent eye-lets of the shoe, and means for exerting an inward pressure on the free ends of the members thereby to close the fly.

A lacing device for shoes including pivotally united members adapted to bear against the shoe upper one on each side of the fly thereof, lugs projecting inwardly and downwardly from the inner longitudinal edges of the members for engagement with the eye-lets of the shoe, said members having their free ends bent laterally to form terminal finger pieces, and means for exerting an inward pressure on the free ends of the members, thereby to close the fly.

4. A lacing device for shoes including pivotally united members having their intermediate portions inclined in opposite directions and their free ends provided with terminal finger pieces, lugs extending laterally from the inner longitudinal edges of the clamping members and adapted to engage the adjacent eye-lets of the shoes, and means for drawing the members together thereby to close the fly of the shoe.

5. A lacing device for shoes including pivotally united members having their intermediate portions inclined in opposite directions and their free ends provided with ter minal finger pieces, one of said members having its outer longitudinal edge formed with spaced locking notches, lugs extending; laterally from the inner longitudinal edges of the members and adapted to engage the adjacent eyelots of the shoe, and a locking member pivotally mounted on one of the members and provided with a hooked terminal adapted to engage the locking recesses in the adjacent member thereby to draw the eye-lets together.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto aflixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID A. RYAN. HENRY J. WERTZ.

Witnesses WM. A. KITZMILLER, HARVEY MILLER. 

